Ignition system for explosive-engines.



C. T. SPICKLEMIRE. IGNITION SY$TEM FOE EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. "KPRLIOATION TILED JULY 25, 1913.

:llllllliL 6.12 15 av'c h'lemv'rea CHESTER T. SPICKLEMIRE, OF VJABANINGO, MICHIGAN.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES resents.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"atented Feb. 2st, fillet.

Application filed July 25, 3.913. Serial No. 781,193.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, CHESTER T. SPICKLE- Minn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wabaningo, in the county of Muskegon and State of llclichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems-for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition systems for explosive engines and has particular application to a reversing switch whereby the engine may be reversed.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a. reversing switch for explosive engines whereby the circuit of the spark plug may be broken so as to decrease the speed of the engine and then subsequently made while the piston is on the up-stroke thereby causing av premature explosion with the result that the direction of rotation of the crank shaft of the engine is reversed. Furthermore, I aim to provide a switch of the class described which will be connected with the control lever of the timer and operable therefrom simultaneously with the timer.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling Within the scope of the clin cs.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a plan View of a reversing switch con structed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an explosive engine ignition system showing my switch installed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the numeral 1 designates an explosive engine: of any suitable or preferred form. In the present instance, this engine is of the single cylinder type and is equipped with the usual form of spark plug 2 con nected in circuit with the secondary winding of an induction coil I. Connected to one side of the primarywinding of the induction coil is a battery 3 or other suitable source of electrical energy, While to the opposits side of such winding is connected the timer 4: of any appropriate construction, the timer grounding the respective sideof the battery upon the engine.

The numeral 5 designates my improved reversing switch composed, in the present instance, of a base 6 of some suitable construction and equipped with an appropriate form of bracket whereby the same may be secured to a convenient support. Mounted upon the base 6 and insulated therefrom is a contact 7 to which is connected one terminal of a wire 8 having the free terminal thereof connected to the battery 3. A second contact S is also secured to the base 6 and insulated therefrom and spaced apart from the ti: 2. contact and electrically connected therewith by way of wire 9. This contact 8 preferably carries a tongue extending toward the contact 7. Fulcruined upon the base 6 is a bell crank lever 11 having one limb thereof designed to wipe over the contacts 8 and 7 and the opposite limb formed with a series of apertures 12 with which is interchangeably associated one end of a rod 13 having the free end thereof connected to the control lever 14- of the timer 4;.

In practice, the spark control lever 1% is retarded and the engine cranked up in the usual manner so that the same will take up its own cycle of operation. \Vhen the engine is running in the usual manner and it -is desired to reverse the same, the spark control lever 14: is manipulated so as to engage the respective limb thereof from the contact 8 and the tongue 10 associated therewith. This breaks the primary circuit and when the speed of the engine has been decreased, the spark control lever is further advanced so that the respective arm of the bell crank lever engages the contact 7. As the primary circuit is closed, incident to the arm of the bell crank lever engaging the contact 7, the circuit of the spark plug 2 is completed and the spark caused as the piston is moving upwardly on the compression stroke. This is, in effect, a premature explosion, and, as a consequence, the direction of movement of the piston is reversed, as is readily understood. When it is desired to againreverse the engine so that the crank shaft will revolve in the usual direction, the control lever 14 is retarded so that the respective arm of the bell crank lever moves out of engagement with the contact 7 whereby the primary circuit is again broken and the engine permitted to slow down. The speed of the engine, having been sutliciently decreased, the control lever is again retarded so that the respective arm of the bell crank lever rides onto the tongue Flfill 10 and into engagement with the contact 8' whereby the primary circuit is again made a and the spark caused to jump across the terminals of the spark plug while the piston is moving upwardly on the compression stroke, thus causing the direction of movement of the piston and crank shaft to be reversed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent. It will be seen that I have provided a manually controlled reversing switch whereby the direction of rotation of the crank shaft of an explosive engine may be reversed without resorting to the use of reversing gear, while the reversing switch and the timer are controlled from a single lever. By meansof the tongue 10 on the contact 8 the primary circuit is maintained inthe initial movement of the control lever 14 of the timer so that the engine -may operate at its usual speed without causcuit at any desired time with respect to the position of the piston within the cylinder.

I claim:

1. In arr-ignition system for explosive e11- gines, a reversing switch in combination with the primary circuit and comprising a pair of contacts spaced apart and inter-connected, and a bell crank lever having one limb movable over said contacts and connected in said circuit in series with said contacts, and means for swinging said lever.

2. In an ignition system for explosive engines, a reversing switch in combination with the-primary circuit and comprising a pair of contacts spaced apart and inter-connected, and a bell crank lever having one limb movable over said contacts and connected in said circuit in series with said contacts, means for swinging said lever, and a tongue electrically connected with one of said contacts substantially as, and for the purpose, described In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHESTER r. sricittniuinn Witnesses i GEORGE H. HAVERKATE, GARFmLo TV. FUNNELL. 

